No tariff exception for electronics, says Trump

US President Donald Trump has denied reports that his administration had granted a tariff exception for electronics such as smartphones and chips.

This was contrary to suggestions late last week that consumer tech products would be spared from sweeping reciprocal tariffs, Anadolu Agency reported.

“Nobody is getting off the hook for the unfair trade balances, and non-monetary tariff barriers, that other countries have used against us, especially not China which, by far, treats us the worst!” Trump said Sunday on his Truth Social account.

“These products are subject to the existing 20 percent fentanyl tariffs - they are just moving to a different tariff ‘bucket’,” he added.

The president said semiconductors and the electronics supply chain will be looked at in the upcoming national security tariff investigations, stressing the need for products to be manufactured in the US.

“… we will not be held hostage by other countries, especially hostile trading nations like China, which will do everything within its power to disrespect the American people.

“The golden age of America, which includes the upcoming tax and regulation cuts, a substantial amount of which was just approved by the House and Senate, will mean more and better paying jobs, making products in our nation, and treating other countries, in particular China, the same way they have treated us,” he added.

US Customs and Border Protection published a notice Friday appearing to exempt electronic products from 145 percent tariffs on Chinese goods, raising hopes that such items had been spared.

But commerce secretary Howard Lutnick attempted to clarify things Sunday, saying electronics were not permanently exempt, instead, they would be subject to new semiconductor-specific tariffs expected in the next month or two as part of a broader strategy.

- Bernama

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